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Serena Williams continues run as WTA No. 1-ranked player

Serena Williams, shown with the trophy she won as women's singles champion of the 2013 U.S. Open, continues her run as No. 1 in the WTA rankings. UPI /Monika Graff
Serena Williams, shown with the trophy she won as women's singles champion of the 2013 U.S. Open, continues her run as No. 1 in the WTA rankings. UPI /Monika Graff | License Photo

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Serena Williams' run atop the WTA rankings is likely to last quite a while yet, a situation that will put her in even more historic company.

Williams has a massive 5,214-point lead in the rankings over No. 2-ranked Victoria Azarenka and is 7,215 points up on Li Na, the third-ranked player. Just four players have as many as 5,214 points in the rankings and only two -- Williams and Azarenka -- have more than 7,215.

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That kind of points cushion allows for a look down the road as Williams will continue to accumulate weeks at No. 1 for the foreseeable future.

Her current run at No. 1 is 40 weeks, four behind the 44-week tenures of Justine Henin and Lindsay Davenport for 16th-longest consecutive weeks atop the rankings. Williams and Caroline Wozniacki are tied for 14th on that list at 49 weeks. Williams alone in 13th at 57 weeks, a figure the current run at No. 1 -- if it continues -- would pass in March.

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In six times being No. 1 overall, Williams has a total of 163 weeks ranked first. That is sixth most all-time, 15 weeks behind Monica Seles, who is fifth on the list. Martina Hingis is fourth at 209 weeks, which would be passed if Williams can stay atop the rankings for all of 2014.

The WTA Top 10 listing player's name, home country and rankings points:

1. Serena Williams, United States, 13,260

2. Victoria Azarenka, Belarus, 8,046

3. Li Na, China, 6,045

4. Maria Sharapova, Russia, 5,891

5. Agnieszka Radwanska, Poland, 5,875

6. Petra Kvitova, Czech Republic, 4,775

7. Sara Errani, Italy, 4,435

8. Jelena Jankovic, Serbia, 4,170

9. Angelique Kerber, Germany, 3,965

10. Caroline Wozniacki, Denmark, 3,520

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